Amazing! You’ve just given birth to twins! Twice blessed! Twice challenged! This happiest of times in your life can also be one of the most stressful times. Your day-to-day routine will take a direct hit, but with a bit of planning and a positive attitude, you can juggle everything with ease and grace, while enjoying the precious moments you have with your little treasures.
a) Doubling Your Routine
In the beginning, your newborns will spend most of their time eating and sleeping. Your job is to spend your time wisely by putting them both on the same schedule. Gently, but persistently, you can synchronize their little body clocks by laying them down at the same time for naps and at bedtime so that they follow the same sleeping pattern. If one newborn wakes up in the middle of the night to feed, wake his twin brother up, too. Once they’re in sync, you can reset your own inner clock and get some rest throughout the day and evening hours.
b) Feeding for Two
Now that you’re the mom of twins, you may wonder how you’re going to handle the feeding frenzy that comes with two babies. Breast-feeding is a healthier option for both you and your infants. If one baby is awake and hungry, try feeding them both at the same time. Well-placed nursing pillows can be your biggest lifesavers at mealtimes. You’ll want to experiment to get the positioning correct, so everyone is comfy. A nursing pillow can fit properly around your body and balance both of your children securely. To ensure that they’re getting the proper nourishment, you might consider alternating breasts for each baby.
c) Asking for Assistance
You’ve just brought two new lives into the world! How wonderful—but don’t try to play the role of Wonder-woman. Don’t wear yourself out trying to do everything by yourself! You have no idea how difficult it will be at times! If friends and family members want to help out, take them up on those offers.
Sometimes multitasking means multi-delegating. Enlist the help of your fellow church members, your sorority, or co-workers to bring over lunch or dinner occasionally. Let a sibling or in-law care for the twins while you organize the bills, tackle laundry, or dash to the store. Or better still, take a deep breath, a long luxurious bath, or a refreshing nap. That’s what Wonder-woman would have done if she’d had twins!
d) Outsourcing Those Chores
Housework and laundry can pile up at the beginning, especially if you’re bottle feeding the twins. If the family budget can bear it, consider hiring part-time, short-term maid service to keep the house clean and well maintained just until you’ve mastered the basics. This will allow you to concentrate on adjusting to the wonderful shock of becoming the full-time caregiver to your new brood.
e) Working More Wisely
If you have a home-based business or work from home, you can strike a balance between career and motherhood. First give yourself the time to establish a solid routine with the twins, then gradually incorporate work into that routine by handling phone calls and emails when your babies are sleeping. Be careful not to burn yourself out with entrepreneurial zeal. Set your work hours and stick to those hours—don’t try to overdo it, no matter what your workload. Delegate! Outsource! Take care of yourself for your twins’ sake!
You’re the main attraction in a new juggling act, and you’re bound to fumble and drop the ball a few times, but just remember to savor every moment with your babies, and be gentle with yourself during this extraordinary transition. Oh, and by the way: Congratulations!
Writer LaGeris Underwood Bell hopes this article will encourage new mommies to be undaunted as they begin their incredible journey. By starting out with supportive friends, resources, and innovative baby gear like nursing pillows, they’ll be set up to succeed and enjoy every milestone with their babies.
Photo credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/thomashuy_photography/3984883623/